Juugo
by Uchiha Writer-Tensai69
Summary: Cursed to hurt, but unwilling...Jugo is cursed with fits of rage that has left him isolated from the students of the school and an object for their hate. One day, he meets a mysterious boy who is transferring into the school and is going to help him. But the boy seems to have troubles of his own. Mildly Dark themes, T just to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I haven't published in a long time and it feels so good to be back! It's my first Sasuke and Jugo friendship-fic ever and I hope you enjoy it!  
The story takes place at a school of "magic" in the modern world, the professors and Students are all original characters and thus don't really have names...**

**DISCLAIMER: **I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF SASUKE & JUGO. NARUTO BELONGS TO MASASHI KISHIMOTO  
**As usual, Please R your feedback is most appreciated!**

* * *

"Jugo, Control Yourself!" One of the professors stepped in front of the tall boy, only to be knocked aside by the raging beast. All the other professors stood their ground, forming a protective circle around the cowering students. "You—all of you—you are ALL DEAD!" Jugo charged; his eyes wide and a maddened smirk contorting his face as he drew closer to breaking the line. The professors—most of them newly appointed—stood frozen, unsure of how to control the demon that had been one of their students only minutes before.

From the corner of the building, a figure moved forward, only to be held back by the headmaster's bony hand _"non iam—not now" _it was a whispered command as the headmaster strode quickly into the clearing.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, JUGO!" The old man's voice rang across the field and Jugo fell to his knees mid step; almost as if he had been shot.  
"_Sedo Vestry" _The headmaster's voice had dropped in decibels but still carried the same amount of authority as the first command. _Calm down…_Jugo's head raised and he looked at his hands as he began to shake "no—not again…" he looked up at the ring of professors and the students behind them, his expression turning to one of torment as he saw the looks of disgust and terror on their faces  
"I didn't mean—I'm sorry…I—" He looked around wildly, his manner resembling that of a trapped animal, before he jumped to his feet and tore for the woods; the only place he could go to get away…

"Are you Jugo?" The voice was low and soft and Jugo glanced around the familiar clearing, searching for the source of the strange voice. _Who had come into his sanctuary?_  
"You shouldn't be here, I could hurt you" he spoke the quiet warning as his eyes fell on the figure of a boy who couldn't have been much older or younger than 17; the age of the students in the school.

"Go away" he was trying his best to stay calm despite the fear that was pulsing through his veins; _who was this stranger? Where had he come from? What if he hurt him? He didn't want to see disgust on another person's face; he wouldn't be able to take it anymore if he did…_

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke—" the boy gave his name without any regard to Jugo's warning before he paused; his dark, saddened eyes fixed on Jugo "I'm your new roommate…"

Jugo froze. His roommate? _But that was impossible, no one could be around him, there was no telling when he would go into another fit of rage._  
It must have been the way Sasuke was looking at him—or maybe it was the look in the onyx eyes; he wasn't sure which, but whatever it was, Jugo suddenly felt the fear and frustration drain out of him, leaving him feeling strangely safe…  
"You—you're the student that was transferring in?" the headmaster had told him about the new addition to the school, but he hadn't expected the student to look so…ethereal; Sasuke's hair was a glossy onyx black, easily matching the deep color of his eyes and his skin was a pale ivory that seemed cold even in the hot sun.  
His question was answered with a slow nod and he swallowed hard…what was the headmaster thinking?

* * *

"Headmaster—please, you know about my condition…I can't have a roommate" Jugo was standing in the crowded office, his shoulders hunched and his head down in a submissive manner. "I don't want to hurt anybody…" The headmaster stood and patted Jugo's shoulder gently "Sasuke's not a normal student Jugo…he can help you…"  
_**  
**_

* * *

"Can you really stop me from hurting anyone?" Jugo asked the question as he shoved his bed against one wall and turned to set up the new one that had been added to his large room. The room had originally been for three, but had soon become his when his condition had started. Sasuke looked up from his perch on the window sill and shrugged "Do you want me to?" he sounded slightly distracted but Jugo paid no mind to the tone  
_"Yes"_  
He was emphatic and desperate and Sasuke stared, his dark eyebrows knitting together in a look of confusion before he turned away "did you always have these fits?" The change of subject was subtle and Jugo straitened, the corner of a white mattress still in his large hands "No…I mean…I don't think so…" he hung his head and Sasuke glanced at the towering figure, his dark eyes surveying the teenager in front of him with an almost sad expression.  
_"Maledictus nocere, nolentem…"_ he murmured the words softly under his breath, his lips hardly moving to form the ancient words. Jugo looked up "Is that—?" Sasuke's head shook slightly as he met Jugo's gaze, snapping out of the trance-like state he had almost sunken into "Latin?" he sounded as if he'd come out of a deep contemplation and Jugo nodded, waiting for Sasuke's response "Yeah…it is"

Jugo's interest was perked and he sat on the edge of his bed, letting the mattress slide to the floor "you speak Latin?" there was a hint of awe in his voice and Sasuke shrugged "a little…" he shifted uncomfortably, suddenly becoming absorbed with the hem of his school shirt.  
"It's no big deal…everyone here studies it" his tone denoted that he no longer wanted to speak and Jugo glanced down at the floor, reminded by the mattress that he had work to do "I …the beds are almost ready…" he stood and began again to work as a silence settled in the room, punctuated on occasion by the sharp ticking of the clock…

* * *

"I'd like to introduce someone to you…" The headmaster motioned towards the back of the room and all the students turned to look at the newcomer "This is Sasuke—he will be with us for the rest of the semester"  
Sasuke kept his gaze forward as he nodded his head in polite greeting, his hands deep in the pockets of his black pants and his dark green necktie hanging slightly loose around the unbuttoned collar of his ironed shirt. Some of the girls smiled sheepishly while the others platformed their chins on their hands—all of them curious about the slightly unkempt look of the exotic figure  
"He's an Honor Student in Latin, so if any of you need help…" the headmaster smiled and the girls giggled "Treat him well" the headmaster's voice carried a tone of seriousness that was largely overlooked by the students as they turned back to face the front as Sasuke sat down.  
_"Hey"_ Jugo looked up as Sasuke took the empty seat next to him and gave a small smile in response to the quiet greeting as the teacher began class.

"Botany is next" Jugo led the way across the cast lawn, glancing behind him every once in a while to see if Sasuke was still following. "Sasuke?" He stopped walking and Sasuke almost ran into Jugo's broad back "Did you hear?" there was no malice in his voice, simply the desire to know. Sasuke blinked and then nodded_ "Botany"_ He glanced to the side, his expression conveying a silent sigh  
"What's wrong? Do you not enjoy botany?" again it was a simple curiosity and Sasuke shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets _"Do you?"_ Jugo thought carefully "Yes—mostly…I haven't been to that class for a while" The last part of his response was faded and he began to walk, his pace a little slower than before. They passed one of the large greenhouses and Sasuke's gaze fell on the dark blue tarp that was stretched over one of the large windows—had Jugo done that? But of course he had…

"Greetings" The teacher was a tall, gentle looking man who was decked in soft shades of green and brown, matching the colors present in his classroom. The students returned the salutation and the graying professor smiled.  
"Shall we begin?" Today we'll learn about the many uses of the rose" He reached for one of the red flowers beside his desk and raised it to his nose, inhaling deeply; "everyone please open your books to page 111—we will read through 112" There was a rustling as the students opened their leather-bound books and flipped to the assigned pages, ready to read.

Sasuke sighed and stared at the yellowing page, wondering if they purposely made the books look old or if the books were actually again. He fingered the rough parchment and then turned his attention to the rough sketch of a rose that stretched across one of the pages, half smiling at its resemblance to the rose Jugo was holding. All roses looked much the same…all of them seemed graceful, enchanting and yet—his expression quickly melted back into his normal almost sorrowed look…Roses seemed tragic, as if they carried pain in their history—as if somehow their petals had been died crimson by blood and their thorns had been formed out of the necessity for protection…

"Jugo, is something wrong?" The professor's voice sounded concerned and the students shrank back as they noticed the trembling of Jugo's shoulders "Jugo?" The professor put his hands up to calm the contents of the room "Nobody move; everything will be alright" he sounded doubtful himself but stayed motionless, keeping his calm demeanor. He had dealt with this before and had learned that the best way to avoid injury was if no one panicked.  
_*Kill. Kill. Kill* _It was a quiet chant and Sasuke looked up as the hair his rose on the back of his neck…Jugo was about to go on a rampage…  
"Jugo—" Sasuke put his hand up to stop the professor from coming any closer, the headmaster had warned him to keep everyone out of danger; at least to the best of his ability…however far that extended…  
_*Kill. Kill. Die* _Sasuke glanced at Jugo and took a deep breath, he had promised the headmaster that he would stop Jugo and so he would—the only problem being he wasn't quite sure how…  
"Jugo" It came out sharper than intended and Sasuke took a step back, mentally kicking himself as Jugo's head snapped around, if he wasn't more careful, things could escalate into a disaster.

* * *

**OWARI**

That's the end of chapter one! Thank you for reading~


	2. Chapter 2

"Jugo…_Mitescere…_" He murmured the words in Latin and Jugo glared, sending chills up Sasuke's spine… "You. You'll be first" Jugo's eyes were mad, his voice low and gravely in his chest, his tone dripping with contempt. "YOU'll BE THE ONE TO DIE!" He lunged and Sasuke jerked to the side, barely avoiding the towering figure as he barreled past "Mitescere_…__Calm down_" Latin was supposed to have spell like properties when spoke right, but somehow it wasn't working, falling short in the tension filled air-unable to carry peace to Jugo's troubled mind. A wave of alarm coursed through Sasuke's entire being as he realized that without Latin he didn't know how to stop Juugo...

He shot a glance in the direction of the huddled students—with them in the room he couldn't do anything beyond the professor's level; that would draw too much attention to himself…so how was he supposed to stop the maddened beast?  
"Dead. Kill. Murder…" The last word rang in Sasuke's ears and he seized Jugo's wrist to keep him from seeking out a different target; stumbling back as a white-hot light flashed through him, sending raw energy shooting up his arm and into his chest. _*What—?*_ it was his last conscious thought and for a moment he could see Jugo breaking out of his rage before his vision began to swim and everything went black.

...

"Sasuke –Sasuke…" Dark eyes fluttered open and Sasuke lay still as he became aware of the sharp pain in the back of his head—he must have hit his head when he blacked out…  
"Are you alright?" Jugo looked so concerned and Sasuke fidgeted uncomfortably—_why was everyone leaning over him? didn't they believe in breathing space?  
_ "Is everything okay?" The professor elbowed his way through the crowd, pushing back the students in the process and offered his hand to his student "Let's take you to the infirmary" Sasuke shook his head as he hoisted himself up slowly; leaving the professor's hand hanging limp in the air, he didn't want to touch anyone, not until he figured out what had just happened  
"Well then," The professor dropped his hand into the folds of his robe and turned towards the students, motioning for them to take their seats "Let's finish class"

...

"Sasuke—" Jugo hurried after his roommate, both of their textbooks tucked under one strong arm "about earlier-" Sasuke half glanced over his shoulder as he kept walking "What about it?"  
There was a nonchalant tone to the deep voice and Juugo paused as he caught up to the black-haired boy. "I didn't mean to hurt you…I'm sorry" his voice was quiet and Sasuke shrugged "It's no big deal" he half-muttered the words, hoping to drop the conversation before it went further. For a few moments, his desire was realized and they moved along in silence before Juugo spoke again.  
"Are you going to see the nurse?" Sasuke shook his head in a silent response, no, he didn't see the point. Silence fell between them as they continued their walk across the lush clearing that stretched from the greenhouses to the side of the school.  
"Sasuke—" Juugo broke the silence of the walk for a second time and Sasuke looked up in response, waiting for Juugo to finish "Thank you for stopping me". Sasuke looked surprised at the gratitude and quickly averted his gaze to his feet as a small look of embarrassment tugged at the corner of his lips; Juugo was so forward and trusting...it was a shame he was so hard to befriend.

...

"Sasuke" The young professor of Latin approached the two young men who had just entered her classroom, a look of urgent business on her face  
"Yes?" Sasuke replied as he met her gaze, bowing stiffly out of respect  
"The Headmaster would like to see you…possibly about the _incident_ in the Greenhouses" she placed great emphasis on the word and one of Sasuke's eyebrows raised "No harm meant of course" she added the sentence quickly as she flashed Juugo a look and he shook his head, stepping back to remove himself from the topic.

"Now?" The professor gave a curt nod and handed him two slips of paper "here are your passes" Sasuke pocketed the slips without a second glance and turned to go "I'll be back" he spoke for Juugo's benefit and a look of obvious alarm flashed across the professor's face  
"You're going _alone_?" she spoke a little hastily and Sasuke nodded,giving her a sideways look as he turned to face her "and leaving him _here_…?" again Sasuke nodded, this time slowly as he wondered if maybe the woman wasn't so good at hearing…  
"The headmaster only called for _m_e" it was the truth and yet an awkward silence fell as the woman glanced around her classroom, calculating all the damage that might be done if Juugo went berserk.

"Right…of course" she sounded deflated and Sasuke's jaw tightened in sudden annoyance, _where all the people in the school this frustrating?  
_"Let's go" he turned on his heel and exited the room quickly, his fists jammed into his pockets as he turned left and began the long walk down the hall, agitation in his steps.  
"Wait-" Juugo turned and hurried after his roommate, unsure of whether he should go or stay "Sasuke-It's a long way to the headmaster's office…by the time we get back, class will be over"; Juugo sounded worried and Sasuke ignored him "So?" it was somewhat of a demand as he cut a sharp left towards the stone steps across the lawn. "If I miss any more classes, I won't pass the test…"

Sasuke pondered the statement carefully as he pulled his hands out of his pockets "That class isn't worth your while…if you want to learn Latin—I'll teach you." It was the least he could do as Juugo's roommate and he couldn't help but want to help Juugo advance, the poor guy had enough going against him already._  
_"Really?" Juugo responded with almost child-like enthusiasm and Sasuke gave a short nod "of course."  
The rest of the walk was quiet as they hurried along the winding halls and paths of the large school, hoping to get to the office as soon as possible so they wouldn't miss their next class.

. . .

"Oh, Sasuke—you're here already?" the aged headmaster sounded glad to see the boy and Sasuke nodded politely. "The Latin professor told me to come right away", he was dutiful and the headmaster nodded "Good, good—do come in" he opened the door further and Sasuke stepped into the office, glancing back as he remembered he hadn't come alone "Umm…" The headmaster turned and smiled as he saw Juugo, lifting a weathered hand to wave "Ah, Juugo! How good of you to come with Sasuke..." he gave a chuckle and gently pushed Sasuke further into the room  
"I need to speak with him in private for a while…will you please wait in the hall? If you see one of the staff, I'm sure they'd be happy to bring you something to drink" He gave an apologetic smile and then reached for the polished brass knob, backing into the room and pulling the door closed behind him.  
Juugo nodded and watched the door close, wondering if maybe he should have stayed in class. He hadn't thought about his presence intruding, but clearly he wasn't needed.

. . .

_"_**Impossibile!****_"_** Sasuke stood up quickly, the Latin exclamation causing the plant in the corner to shudder from the sudden rise of tension in the room  
"I've had my suspicions for a long time and had hoped I was wrong…but they were confirmed this morning…" the headmaster moved to comfort his plant as a serious expression darkened his normally pleasant features.  
Sasuke shook his head in disbelief "He can't be back…he was sentenced to prison…" The headmaster responded to the statement with a tired sigh and he left his plant to sit down in the high-backed chair across from Sasuke.  
"That-was a long time ago…he's since been released." Sasuke's head jerked up quicky _"When?!"_ the word was hissed and the headmaster knit his fingers together, his elbows resting on his desk "about 18 years ago this spring…Sasuke, the _anima furem_ is back"

There was a dead silence in the room as Sasuke sat down hard, his face growing white from the news he had just received _"_what_…what does he want?" _there was obvious pain in his tone and the headmaster's eyes grew sad. "He'll come to finish what he started…"  
Sasuke looked down at the floor as his fists tightened "he's going to take the life that exists in this school…" there was dark hatred in his voice as he spoke and the headmaster placed his hands on his desk firmly  
"We are the best school of our kind in this country, we have legacies to preserve…we cannot let ourselves fall into ruin just because of one being." his voice was steady and challenging as he squared his shoudlers "This is _not_ his time, he does _not_ belong here"  
Sasuke sunk low in his chair as the headmaster spoke the last phrase, his eyebrows falling quickly "Non solum ille…_he's not the only one_" he muttered the longing words to himself and the old professor stood as he noticed the boy's pain "My dear boy…" he came out from behind his desk as he spoke and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder  
"All people who walk the earth have a purpose they are to fulfill…even the ones who feel they shouldn't be here".  
Sasuke looked away, putting his knuckles to his lips as he though carefully, "This wasn't my choice…" he sounded almost accusing and the headmaster nearly smiled at the streak of stubbornness he knew so well.

"It is rarely up to us...And yet, here you are" Sasuke rolled his eyes in an act of sheer resentment and stood, brushing the wrinkled hand from his shoulder  
"I have to go to class" he deliberately clipped his words, no longer wanting to discuss the topic on hand "But Latin is pointless for you, you said so yourself" it was a kind reminder and Sasuke shrugged  
"De simplicibus sunt rudimenta addiscenda. _There are lessons to be learned from the simple_" The headmaster's bushy eyebrow rose slowly "Was I not the one who taught you that?" Sasuke turned his head away as he shoved his hands in his loose pockets, shrugging slowly "Maybe I should apply it…"

He turned towards the door and placed a hand on the knob, ready to go "Sasuke—" he paused as the headmaster spoke, the knob half turned in his hand "Quidam populam vivere nam unus consilium. _Some people live for one design" _He pronounced each word carefully and Sasuke shook his head in frustration, his hand tightening on the cool knob "Quidam non vivent" his tone was defiant and he pulled the door open, swiftly exiting the large office, not bothering to wait for the Headmaster's reply.  
"We have to stop him Sasuke-" The old man was almost pleading as he grabbed Sasuke's shoulders with both hands. "If we don't, who knows what we'll lose"  
There was silence in the hall as Sasuke stood still, his dark eyes fixed on the stone wall in front of him with a gaze so steady that it seemed as if he could see past the rough-cut rock  
After a while he slowly shook his head _"I can't…"_ he breathed the worsd as he shrugged the hands off of his shoulders and began to walk down the long corridor, not even bothering to call out to the waiting Juugo.

. . .

Jugo looked up from his Latin textbook as the door opened and Sasuke entered the lounge, a small leather-bound book in his hand "Is that—" he stopped as Sasuke glanced at him and then turned his gaze back to the confusing textbook in front of him, they hadn't spoken to each other since the visit to the headmaster's office and he didn't want to start a conversation by prying into Sasuke's business.

"—A new book?" Sasuke finished Jugo's sentence and the later looked up in surprise as Sasuke shrugged "Yeah…_no_…it's been in the library for—" he stopped and glanced at the fading corners of the book in his hand "…a while…I just found it again" his gaze was gentle as he idly fingered the spine and Juugo smiled; a soft, gentle expression that softened his handsome features "I'm glad you found it…" it was all he could think to say, not bothering to mention that he had intended to ask if it was a dictionary for Latin, he had forgotten his in the library and had thought that maybe Sasuke had picked it up by chance…but then again, Sasuke wouldn't have use for a Latin dictionary, would he?

"Is it for study?" Sasuke shook his head "It's just to fill time…" he seemed to be growing tired, not of the conversation, but because of some deep source of trouble—having not been himself since the afternoon and so Juugo backed down, once again turning his gaze to his text.  
Silence settled in the room for several seconds before Sasuke straitened "I'll be in the dorm" he muttered the words quickly and headed towards the stone steps that led to their shared room, leaving Juugo to study alone in the lounge once more.

_*some people live for one design…you have a purpose too—a reason for being here, just like the rest of us* _  
Sasuke stared at the fading pages of the book in front of him, his eyes unfocused as he reflected on the conversation he'd had with the Headmaster…_a purpose…_the Old man was kidding, right? He couldn't possibly have a purpose, not after—  
He closed the book in frustration and leaned against the window sill, his gaze turning towards the darkening sky. He didn't even belong at the school and yet he was stuck there; with no purpose except to calm the strange person that was his roommate.  
With a slow sigh he closed his eyes and let his mind wander—he was tired of thinking.

* * *

OWARI  
**A quick note about the Latin: the Latin is the normal text and the translation is directly after it in _italics.  
_If there is no provided translation it's either because_  
_**A) the word was that obvious [example: Impossibile] **or**  
B) It's not supposed to be understood just yet_  
_

Hope you enjoyed it~  
Please don't forget to review!


	3. Chapter 3

_The stone corridor was dark and empty; the only sound being the echoing of running steps and the frantic breathing of a terrified figure as he ran towards the white moonlight at the end of the tunnel  
*why do you run?* The cruel voice had an eerie tone to it and a shiver ran up the fleeing boy's spine –go away!— It was an exclamation of anger and desperation and for a moment the shadows flickered before they again began to close in  
*what can you do to stop me?* the light at the end of the tunnel was fading as the thick fog began to close around the boy, blocking any hope of escape. There was nowhere left to run and the boy began to fall as the floor split and the shadows swallowed him up *vos, qui occisus est…you, who died*_

"Sasuke!" Sasuke's eyes snapped open as he landed on the floor, Juugo too far away to do anything to stop his head from banging on the hard wooden surface. "Sasuke—" He lay still as Juugo hurried over, dazed from the impact.  
"Are you alright?" the older teen crouched down and Sasuke paused a moment before sitting up slowly, wincing at the now double sized lump on the back of his head—why did he keep hitting that spot?

"Yeah…I'll be fine" he stood up and sat on the edge of his bed, wiping his sweaty palms on the legs of his dark pants "Are you sure? You were muttering in Latin when I came in and then you fell off your bed…" Juugo was so serious and Sasuke half-smiled, trying to shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach  
"I'm sure…it's not like I've never hit my head before" he swallowed hard and Juugo's face relaxed as he smiled "sorry about that…"  
Sasuke didn't reply as he clenched his teeth—the sick feeling had moved to his chest and was growing…_The school doesn't have much time left_…the thought sent icy chills up his spine and he shivered…  
"Sasuke—" Juugo touched Sasuke's arm gently and Sasuke looked up quickly "is something else bothering you? You look troubled" his tone was soft and non-intrusive and for a moment Sasuke thought of telling him before he shook his head, he had no right to involve a person he'd just met in his problems, no matter how close they were becoming it wasn't worth Juugo possibly getting killed…or—  
"It's nothing big, just…" he paused; just what? He didn't have an excuse, not a good one anyway "It's nothing" he finished the sentence lamely and Juugo smiled "that's good" he sounded genuinely relieved and Sasuke couldn't help but stare, had Juugo actually bought that or was he being courteous…either way, he was glad the subject had been dropped.

"I guess we should be going to sleep now…it's almost curfew" Juugo went to the lamp on the table and blew out the flame, plunging the room into darkness. "Goodnight" there was the rustling of sheets as the larger teen climbed into his bed and Sasuke murmured a reply as he moved to the middle of his own bed and leaned against the headboard, his gaze towards the window as silence fell in the room…_if only everything could remain peaceful forever…_

**...**

"Today we will talk about the difference between fables and truth" the culture and philosophy teacher was sitting casually on the front of his desk, his long legs stretched out in front of him and his hands on the edge of the polished wood "Can anyone give me a definition of either one?"

There was a silence in the class and the professor glanced at his manicured nails with a sigh "No one?" he paused for effect "Student participation gains points~" a smile was playing on his lips and several hands shot up "See? You do know" he clapped his hands together in mock joy and then pointed towards the back of the room "Juugo, will you tell me what fables are?"  
All of the students with hands in the air lowered them slowly and turned to glare at Juugo, waiting for him to respond. "I—"  
Sasuke watched as Juugo fidgeted under the glares of the students, wondering why the professor didn't stop them; didn't he understand how painful glares could be?

"Fables are stories based off of real events that were twisted until they only contain part truths…" it was a good answer and the nodded "Essentially; fables are lies" he stood and moved behind his desk, splaying his hands out in front of him "The lesson for today is actually about the difference between lies and truth, but since this school is riddles with _fables_ I wanted to define those first" He paused as several of the students took notes "Now—Sasuke, will you define truth for this class?"  
Sasuke shoved a hand in his pocket and tapped the back of his pencil on the edge of his desk, letting the question hang in the air as he contemplated responding "Truth is what it is" he spoke bluntly and several girls giggles quietly

"Truth; students, is reality" the Professor steepled his fingers as he straightened, "What we exist in is truth, the world doesn't lie"  
Juugo's hand shot up "But how can you tell? I don't think everything in the world is as it appears to be"  
The Professor gave a small toss of his head as he laughed "that's a flawed way of thinking…how can things you see not be true? You're _seeing_ them after all. Do you not believe your own eyes?" a wave of snickering went through the classroom and Juugo hung his head, dropping pursuit of the debate.

"The world isn't just one dimension professor, there are always shadows…things that aren't what they appear to be" everyone turned as Sasuke spoke and the professor looked taken back "That's a deep theory—for a student" his tone was one of annoyance and Sasuke glanced away, his dark gaze meeting the clear blue sky through the window _"it's truth"_ He spoke quietly and the Professor took a step forward "Again, an interesting _theory_ for a student to have, but you are still young…you have a lot to learn in this world" He didn't bother to hide the emphasis on 'student' and Sasuke moved his gaze to meet the professor's as tension crackled in the air between them

_*kill…destroy…* _The aura hit Sasuke before the words reached his ears and he quickly turned to face Juugo. Sure enough, the older teen was hunched over his desk, his shoulders shaking as he tried to fight off the urge to kill, a fight that he was losing rapidly.  
"Juugo, not here…" the professor rolled his eyes and Juugo glared as he stood up and knocked his chair into the desk behind him, causing the student to jump back in alarm  
"Calm down" the teacher was backing away slowly, his hands in the air, ignoring the students as they began to panic  
_"Everyone…no, someone…dead…die" _Juugo was moving around his desk towards the professor, his bloodshot eyes glaring furiously  
"Juugo!" Sasuke stood up and Juugo whipped around, changing directions to go after his roommate_ "Mitescere" _He spoke softly, not even flinching as Juugo grabbed his desk and fling it aside like it was nothing._** "You, you'll be first!"**_ Sasuke backed away slowly, trying to put distance between himself and Juugo while he tried to remember what had calmed Juugo that first day in the greenhouse.  
_  
"Mitescere"_ he stopped as his back hit the far wall of the classroom, effectively trapping him in the corner which only made Juugo laugh manically _**"Now, now you can die!"**_ He sounded ecstatic and all the students turned away, hiding their faces in fear "Juugo—" Sasuke's tone was low and even "Please, clam down" it was as if his words had fallen to deaf ears and he put his arm up to block the hand that was being thrust towards his neck  
_**"You can't stop me, no one can!" **_the rough hand seized Sasuke's forearm and Sasuke clenched his teeth as the same white hot electricity as the first time coursed through his body—what was happening?  
As suddenly as it had started, Juugo's fit calmed and Sasuke collapsed against the wall as the electricity faded, breathing heavily as the orange haired one fell to his knees, the wild look in his eyes fading and beads of sweat forming on his face  
"Are you boys alright?" The teacher was calling from behind the barricade of desks the students had created, too scared to go see for himself "Is it safe?"  
Neither Sasuke nor Juugo responded as they both looked at each other—Sasuke confused and Juugo grateful "You okay?" Sasuke spoke quietly and Juugo nodded "are you?" his brown eyes were worried and Sasuke glanced at the arm Juugo had grabbed, self-consciously hiding the finger marks with his other hand "Yeah…" he gave a small nod and straitened slowly

"It's fine, you can come out now. ignavissimo _coward_" he muttered the last word under his breath and Juugo looked down to hide the smile that threatened to appear  
"Of course" the professor stood up and straitened his suit "Very well done Sasuke, I'll give my commendation to the headmaster" he was watching Juugo cautiously as he spoke "students—please put your desks back in place, we have a discussion to finish"  
The students moved quickly as they carried their desks to their proper places and sat down, staring all the while at the two boys that were standing in the corner, disgust and apprehension in their eyes.

* * *

**It's a little bit of an awkward cut, but it was that or type another segment...**


	4. Chapter 4

The afternoon sun was strong as several dozen students poured from the large doors of the stone school and hurried across the courtyard, chattering amongst themselves as they made their way to the large sports field that lay next to the woods. It was time for daily recreation and there was an atmosphere of excitement—a tournament was coming up and everyone wanted to do their best to prepare.

As the last student exited the building, Sasuke and Juugo emerged from the adjoining hall and began to walk towards the field, neither of them overly excited to spend yet another hour with yet another group of rudely biased, staring students who had nothing better to do than aim their scorn at what they perceived as a monstrosity

. . .

"The Tournaments are a special event that we host every year…" Sasuke and Juugo arrived at the field just as the teacher began to speak and quietly moved to the back corner of the crows, trying to avoid unwanted contact with the rest of the group

"In order to perform well in the Tournaments, we will be practicing the techniques that you will be using during the famous obstacle course" the students collectively sighed as they received the news. The form of 'magic' the school used-namely the use of Latin to channel their wills to perform feats-was complex enough in the classroom and though they all enjoyed their studies, most of them were struggling with matching the level of power with the right words; a balance that was difficult to achieve, even for the most experienced Professor.

"In the obstacle course you will have to carry out certain feats such as opening and closing doors, aiding in the growth of plants and moving inanimate objects; all without the use of your hands. Any questions?"  
The field was silent and the teacher smiled, her full lips barely lifting as she glanced over the crowd "Who—would like to go first?" She was again met with silence and she surveyed the crowd, her emerald eyes searching for a choice student to put in the unwanted spotlight.

"Juugo, will you come forward please" her business-like tone didn't change as she called on the tall student and Juugo stepped forward, shooting a nervous expression at Sasuke as he crossed through the crowd of students  
The Woman professor hardly waited till Juugo had reached her before she began to walk deliberately towards a crate that was sitting near the edge of the field.

"I want you to move this crate—anywhere is fine" she wasted no time in getting to her point and Juugo hesitated as he turned his gaze down "Professor…I don't think it's safe…if I—" she cut off his protest as she shook her head, her long black hair rippling gently in the breeze  
"You can do more than you think you can, just because you have a problem doesn't make you a talent-less dolt" her tone was sharp and Juugo blinked in surprise, _was that encouragement?_ No one had ever seen him on an equal plain with the rest of the school before...

"You know what to do" She backed away as she spoke, leaving Juugo standing alone in the middle of the field.

Juugo took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, in his mind visualizing the crate as it moved and landed gently on the grass several feet away  
"Transvenio_…shift"_ he whispered the word quietly, letting the feeling of motion channel into his words and flow into the crate.  
A gasp brought him out of his concentration he opened his eyes, looking around quickly as he saw the crate had disappeared. _Had he actually done it?_

"_Well done_ Juugo" The professor had come forward again and she smiled as she motioned for him to go back to his spot on the field.  
"Sophos, Juugo _bravo_" Sasuke's voice was low as Juugo came up beside him and Juugo smiled in gratitude "You taught me…" he was trying to shift some credit to Sasuke but the raven-haired boy looked away as a troubled expression crossed his face _"No…_not that feat I didn't_…"  
_  
Juugo thought carefully "but it's taught in class" it was the next logical explanation and Sasuke shrugged quietly, turning his gaze towards the green forest "_yeah…in class"  
_Both of them fell silent and the conversation died—Sasuke watching the tall trees sway in the breeze and Juugo watching one of the students as they desperately tried to grow a plant…

. . .

"Sasuke—" The sky was growing shadowed with rain clouds when the professor called "will you come forward?" Sasuke straitened from his stupor and walked over to where the teacher was standing, ignoring all flirty looks that the girls shot at him as they tried to get his attention.

"As the last exercise for the day, will you shut this door?" It was a rather heavy-looking door and Sasuke nodded, deciding not to comment on how simple a task it was before focusing his energy forward and moving it around the door  
"occludo…_shut_" he didn't even voice the word and the door swung shut, closing with a silent click.

"Beautifully done" The Professor clapped softly and glanced up at the sky "Remember to practice hard. We will be selecting the best students from each class to participate in the tournament"  
Her gaze shifted from Juugo to Sasuke as she spoke and both turned away, pretending to be absorbed in something else  
"Class dismissed" The students bowed and turned to leave the field, picking up their bags and books and then hurrying away to avoid the threatening rain.

. . .

"I heard of the incident during your philosophy class" The Headmaster was pouring himself a cup of tea and Sasuke sat down in the seat across from the headmaster's desk "Professor Cuore gave you high marks and sends his regards."  
Sasuke didn't look up at the Headmaster's statement and the old man stopped, realizing that wasn't the reason Sasuke had come,

"What's bothering you my boy?" This time Sasuke did look up, his dark eyes meeting the Headmaster's soft gray ones with a look of confused passiveness _"It's Juugo" _he answered slowly and the headmaster's eyebrows raised in surprise-he hadn't expected that topic "what about him?"

Sasuke paused and idly began to pick at the threads on the arm of the faded chair "He's not normal—and not just because he has those fits…" the Headmaster was waiting expectantly, tea cup in hand and Sasuke continued "When he touches me…this hot energy just shoots through my body…today he managed a feat that he shouldn't even know exists yet—_what is he?_"

The old man slowly set his cup on its saucer and went to the large window behind his desk "a feat, you say? does that make him special? If you're talking about the crate, that's quite normal." He was subtly trying to avoid answering the question but Sasuke gave a small shake of his head  
"he made a crate _disappear_. Not move. _**Vanish.**_ A normal student –_person_ can't do that. I don't even know if _I_ can do that" he was rather emphatic and the Headmaster sighed as he stared out into the pouring rain "Juugo is a special child—he carries a power that was never his to control" he spoke slowly and Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he tried to understand _"what do you mean?" _the headmaster was clearly hiding something and he wanted to know what it was.

"You feel akin to him, do you not?" it wasn't the question he'd expected and he leaned back in his chair as he thought carefully before nodded slowly "almost as if I knew him once…"

The old man closed his eyes briefly, as if what he was going to say next pained him "Sasuke...Juugo has —" His words were interrupted by a shrill scream and Sasuke stood up quickly, turning towards the door as the remnants of the conversation left his mind "what was that?" his question was followed by a beat of silence as his eyes met the Headmasters, realization flashing between them in a silent conversation. _It had begun…_

_. . ._

"Sasuke, something happened in the field!" Juugo came up behind Sasuke and Sasuke whipped around, startled by the sudden appearance of his roommate from what he'd thought was an empty hallway "How do you know?" it wasn't quite a demand and Juugo shrugged  
"Everyone is trying to find what happened—and I can't find any of the professors…It's just a feeling Sasuke, whatever happened was in the field" Juugo's words were spilling out and Sasuke hesitated, his mind racing as he watched Juugo carefully. The taller teen was the closest thing he had ever had to a friend and yet they both had secrets…if he chose to trust Juugo's impulse now, they would either find the source of the scream or he would be walking into some sort of trap staged by _that being_.

He clenched his teeth in frustration, trying to sort it all out as his thoughts raced wildly—  
"Sauske?" Sasuke looked up, his eyes meeting Juugo's worried gaze for several seconds before he looked away. No one, no _thing_ could have such gentle eyes if they were being influenced evil. Yes, Juugo was a mystery, but as the Headmaster had told him long ago; not all mysteries were bad…

He paused for a moment longer before looking up  
"Where on the field Juugo, can you take me there?" his voice was quiet and Juugo shook his head "I don't know" he realized his lack of knowledge wasn't helping his credibility and he was shocked as Sasuke simply nodded and turned towards the nearest exit as the wind outside began to howl "let's go"

* * *

Headmaster's office, take 1: 

_"Whenever he touched me, it's like being shot through with electricity" Sasuke paused and a funny look crossed his face as he realized what he'd just said "I mean...um..."_  
_The Headmaster silenced him with an understanding nod and a quiet chuckle "I know what you were trying to say..."_


End file.
